Sheet handling mechanism



Dec. 3, 1946. E. R. MUDDIMAN 2,412,001

SHEET HANDLING MEGHANISMl I F11ed Deo. 18, 1944 3 sheets-sheet 1 xNvr-:N-ron EAR A2 Mano/MAN,

#1I-Ill o J1 mm. 1 ..1 mw.

Dec. 3; 1946. E, R, MUDDMAN 1 2,412,001

SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM y Filed Dec. 18, 1944 s sheets-sh'eet INVENTOR Dec. 3, 1946. 1 E, R, MUDDIMAN 2,412,001.

SHEET HANDLINGl MECHANISM Patented Dec. 3, 1946 UNITED STATES` PATENT OFFICE sHEE'r HANDLING MEcHANTsM Earll R. Muddiman, Wilkinsburg, Pa., assigner to Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application December 18, 1944, Serial No. 568,709

Vlier said section being taken along the 6 Claims. (Cl. 198-28) This invention relates to an improvement in sheet handling and conveying apparatus. More particularly, it relates to a sheet conveying mechanism wherein separate sheets traveling at high speed are either reduced in speed or brought to rest to permit subsequent operations.

Among the objects of the invention is the provision of an improved sheet conveyor mechanism adapted for use where the speed of travel of a series of separate sheets must be reduced.

A further object is the improvement of such type of conveyor whereby damage to the con veyor mechanism by the sheets is avoided, and wherein bending or cobbling of the sheets is precluded.

These and further objects of the invention will lmore clearly appear in the subsequent description.

Certain processes carried out upon sheet material, such as sheet metal, involve the transportation of the separate sheets sequentially on a high speed conveyor. It is frequently necessary, 'in order to perform subsequent steps on the sheets, to markedly reduce their speed and, in some cases, to bring them to a complete stop. The sheet classifier and piler shown and described herein is typical of apparatus requiringl such change of speed. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not coniined to being used with a sheet classifier and piler, but that it nds utility wherever sheets traveling at relatively high speed on a conveying device are materially slowed in their travel by being transferred onto a subsequent conveying device traveling at a markedly lower speed.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a sheet classier and piler in which the device of the present invention is employed;

Figure 2 is a View in side elevation of that portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 at the classier, certain parts thereof having been shown in section;

V.Figure 3 is a view in cross section of the classiline ITI- III of Figure 2;

`Figure 4 is a view in section of the classifier, said section being taken along the line IV-IV in Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a view in vertical section of the 2 y 1, consists of an entering driven belt conveyor 2 constituting an inspection table. Conveyor 2, in the modiiication shown, is made up of` a series of V-belts 3 located side by side and running over pulleys 4 and 6. The conveyor 2 is driven by means, subsequently to be described, through shaft 8 upon which pulleys 6 are Xed. Separate sheets, deposited upon conveyor 2 in spaced relationship by means not a part of this invention, are carried at high speed by the conveyor into the classifier unit, which is indicated generally by reference character I0. The classiiier unit consists of a main frame I2 in which are journaled power-driven pinch rolls I4, the bite of which is located approximately on the level with the top of conveyor 2 and adjacent to the` exit end of such conveyor, so that pinch rolls I4 grasp the sheets as they leave the conveyor. Also journaled in frame I2 is a-classifier gate IG having a triangular vertical section, as shown in Figure 2. The forward point of the gate extends near the rear of the bite of pinch rolls I4, so as to act as aA guide for the sheets immediately as they leave the pinch rolls.

Gate I6 may be o-scillated in a vertical plane throughout a small angle. In its downward position, shown in full lines in Figure 2, the gate functions to cause the sheets to travel on its upper surface, and thus the gate guides the sheets into the upper or prime conveyor line. In its upper position, shown in dotted lines in Fig ure 2, gate I6 deects sheets leaving rolls I4 down into the lower or reject conveyor line.

Gate I6 may be selectively positioned by means Vof solenoid I8, said solenoid being operated either by an operator who Watches the sheets as they pass on conveyor 2, or by automatic gauging or inspecting means which energizes the solenoid to swing the gate into its .upper position at the proper time to cause the non-conforming sheet to be diverted into the lower, reject conveyor/ line. A typical automatic gauging means and circuit satisfactory for operating solenoid I8 is disclosed in the patent to Terry, No. 2,007,840, dated July 9, 1935.

Prime sheets after riding over the uppersurface of gate I6 pass through a photoelectric counting means 20 and into power-driven exit pinch rolls 22, which are driven at the same peripheral speed as conveyor 2 and entrance pinch rolls I4. Sheets leaving pinch rolls 22 fall upon prime conveyor 24, in the form of bottom portion of the classier, certain parts beparallel driven belts, which is driven at a speed ing omitted for clarity. materially lower than the speed of conveyor 2, The sheet classifier and piler', shown in Figure 55 for instancevon the order 0f one-'half of such speed. Conveyor 24 is driven by means to be reject -conveyor directly, The forward end ofthe sheet is then slowed by sliding along the end of skid 46 for a short distance, after which it runs I4 are deilected downwardly into the lower or reject conveyor line. belt conveyor 34, made upA of two parallel belts 35, running side by side over pulleys 36 at the entering end of the conveyor, and over pulleys 38 at the exit end of the conveyor. The oo nveyor 34 is driven by power applied to shaft 31 to which pulleys 36 are affixed. Conveyor 34 is likewise driven at a speed materially lower than that of conveyor 2 and pinch rolls i4, forex ample on the order of one-half such speed. Ra jected sheets carried by conveyor 34 travel away from the classifier and into reject piler 39, where they are brought to rest and stacked into a pile.

Power for driving the various conveyors and Vpinch rolls of the device is supplied by motor 46,

which drives speed change device 4l. Entering conveyor 2 is driven by chain 42 which runs over a sprocket on shaft 8 of the conveyor land a sprocket connected to the drive pulley of the speed change device 4I. Pinch rolls I4 and 22 are driven by chains running over sprockets on shaft 8 of conveyor 2, the driving and driven sprockets being such that the pinch rollsA have the same peripheral speed as the conveyor. Prime conveyor '24 and reject conveyor 34,' however, are driven b-y the variable speed output shaft of the speed change device 4I by means of drive chain 45 which drives the reject conveyor 34 and drive chain 44 connecting the reject conveyor to the prime conveyor 24. By such arrangement the speeds of the prime and reject conveyors relative to the entering conveyor and the pinch rolls in the classifier may be varied at will by variation of speed change device 4 I- Rejected sheetsjtraveling downwardly from pinch rolls I4 take the path indicated by the` Such curved dotted rline shown in Figure 2. sheets travel at the same speed as pinch rolls I4 whenengaged by such rolls, and when the forward end of a sheet strikes the upper surface of conveyor, when thus fed downwardly and sud denly materially slowed in speed, by providing a? skid member 45, which, in the modication shown, is in the form of a plate which overlaps to some extent the entering end of the reject conveyor. Skid 46 is placed slightly `above the surface Aof conveyor 34, and is adjustable longitudinally of the conveyor to accommodate thefeeding of vsheets of different lengths through the device.

The purpose of such skid member is to intercept the forward end of the rejected sheet as it is fed downwardly to prevent its striking the 'topof the Such conveyor line consists of a driven off the skid into contact with conveyor 34. Preferably skid 46 is adjusted so that its forward end is at such a distance from pinch rolls I4 that sheets of theparticular length being fed leave the pinch rolls before their forward ends contact the Areject conveyor. -By such'arrangement the sheets n n are slowed suiciently so that they do not tend to double on themselves when they contact the lreject conveyor.

Furthermore, the contact of the forward end of the sheets with the conveyor is not at a material angle with the consequent tendency to dig in, as is the case in the absence of skid 46, but on the contrary such contact is tangential and still further slows the sheets to coincidence with the speed of the rejectconveyor without buckling themz When the rear end of the sheet leaves rolls I4, it falls upon inclined skid 41, and is guided thereby downwardly onto skid 46.

The skid or plate 46 has aflixed thereto,.as by welding, side members 48 to the bottom ofwhich are attached rack gears 56. The side portions of members 48 are guided injlongitudinal slots in the side frame members A52 attached to the frame of the classifier mechanism at the rearward part thereof. At its forward end skid 46 vis supported by resting at the sides upon angular members 12 attached to side members 18 affixed to the forward part of the frame of the classifier. Longitudinal adjustment of the skid 46 is effected by means of pinions 6U meshing with the racks 50, said pinions being keyed upon transverse shaft 54, which is supported in bearing 56 at the right hand side of the frame, as shown in Figure 3, and in a bearing composed of sleeves 58` andv65, at the left hand side of the frame. shaft 54 is accomplished by handwheel 62 which is splined to the left hand end of shaft 54, which is of a reduced diameter. Shaft 54 may be clamped in any desired position by tighteningV knurled nut 64 screwed onto the end of the reduced portion of the shaft, such tightening of the nut having the function of sliding the handwheel against part of the left hand bearing, therei Vthe reject conveyor.

by clamping the shaft and preventing its rotation.

In order to support the central portion'ofthe skid 46 against deflection under load, it is provided on the under side thereof with a longitudinally extending bar 66 which is welded thereto and which slides upon the centrally located tubular member 68 attached to the frame 10 of In order to limit the forward extension of skid 46, there are provided stops 14 in line with the racks 56, such stops extending downwardly so that they contact the pinions 66 when skid 46 is advanced all theway to the right. The extent of rearward travel of skid 46 is determined by the upstanding stationary stop 16 (see Figure 5) `which contacts the rearward lend of the central longitudinal bar 66 on skid 46 when the skid is fully retracted as shown in Figure 5.

Although one embodiment of the invention has been described for purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that numerous variations may be made by those skilled in theart within the Y scope of the present invention. Thus, although the skid 46 has Ibeen illustrated as being in the Y form of a plate, it can be made .in the form of a plurality of spaced parallel rail-like members having a substantial sheet contacting area. Similarly other equivalent known means, such as a Rotation of screw and nut, may be employed to adjust the skid longitudinally of the conveyor.

Having thus fully described the invention and its manner of operation, I'desre to claim as new the following:

l. Sheet handling and conveying apparatus comprising a driven sheet conveyor, power driven lmeans for feeding separate sheets sequentially thereto so that the forward ends of the sheets fall freely toward the conveyor, and skid means lying above the top surface of the conveyor and generally parallel thereto in a position to receive directly the forward ends of the sheets as they are fed toward the conveyor, said skid vmeans being adjustable longitudinally of the conveyor to accommodate sheets of different lengthsl 2. Sheet handling and conveying apparatus comprising a driven sheet conveyor, means for feeding' separate sheets sequentially downwardly toward the top surface of the conveyor, said sheet feeding means causing the sheets to travel at a rate materially greater than the speed of the conveyor, skid means partly overlapping the entering end of the conveyor and lying slightly above and generally parallel to the top surface of the conveyor in a position to receive directly the forward end of a sheet as it is fed downwardly,

`and means for adjusting the skid means longitudinally of the conveyor to accommodate sheets of different lengths.

3. Sheet handling and conveying apparatus comprising a driven belt conveyor, means above said conveyor for feeding separate sheets sequentially downwardly toward the top surface of the conveyor, said sheet feeding means causing the sheets to travel at a rate materially greater than the speed of the belt conveyor, skid means partly overlapping the entering end of the conveyor and lying slightly above and generally parallel to the top surface of the conveyor, and means to adjust the skid means longitudinally of the conveyor.

4. Sheet handling and conveying apparatus comprising a driven sheet conveyor, means above said conveyor for positively feeding separate sheets sequentially downwardly toward the top surface of the conveyor, said sheet feeding means causing the sheets to travel at a rate materially greater than the speed of the belt conveyor, skid means partly overlapping the entering end of the conveyor and lying slightly above and generally parallel to the top surface of the conveyor, and

means to adjust the skid means longitudinally of the conveyor, said skid being so adjusted relative to the means above the conveyor for feeding sheets downwardly toward the belt conveyor that with the particular length of sheets being fed the forward ends of the sheets strike the skid means near the forward end thereof, and so that the rear ends of the sheets leave the first named sheet feeding means before the forward ends thereof Contact the surface of the conveyor.

5. Sheet handling and conveying apparatus comprising a driven belt conveyor for the sheets, driven pinch rolls above said conveyor for positively feeding separate sheets sequentially downwardly toward the top surface of the conveyor,

said pinch rolls causing the sheets to travel at a` rate materially greater than the speed of the belt conveyor, sheet supporting skid means partly overlapping the entering end of the conveyor and lying slightly above and generally parallel to the top surface of the conveyor, and means to adjust the skid means longitudinally of the conveyor, whereby the forward ends of the sheets strike the skid means near the forward end thereof and slide therealong into contact with the belt conveyor, the skid means being so adjusted that the rear ends of the sheets leave the pinch rolls before the forward endsthereof contact the vconveyor.

6. Sheet handling and conveying apparatus comprising a driven belt conveyor for the sheets, power-driven pinch rolls above the conveyor for positively feeding separate sheets sequentially downwardly toward the top surface of the conveyor, said pinch rolls causing the sheets to travel at a rate materially greater than the speed of the belt conveyor, sheet supporting skid means in the form of a plate of a width at least equal tothat of the sheets, said plate partly overlapping the entering end of the conveyor and lying slightly above and generally parallel to the top surface of the conveyor, and means to adjust the plate longitudinally of the conveyor, whereby the forward ends of `the sheets strike the plate near the forward end thereof and slide therealong into contact with the belt conveyor, the plate being so adjusted for the length of sheets fed that the rear ends of the sheets leave the pinch rolls before the forward ends thereof contact the belt conveyor.

EARLL R. MUDDIMAN. 

